Petrova reaches final; Clijsters withdraws in Den Bosch

's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands (Sports Network) - Former top-10 player Nadia Petrova earned a spot in Saturday's final, while former world No. 1 star Kim Clijsters withdrew from her scheduled semifinal match Friday at the Unicef Open because of an abdominal strain.

The eighth-seeded Russian Petrova handled Belgian qualifier Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-2 to set-up a championship match with Poland's Urszula Radwanska on the grass at Autotron Rosmalen. Flipkens was forced to finish her quarterfinal match on Friday after rain forced the suspension of it on Thursday. The Belgian wound up upsetting sixth-seeded and defending Den Bosch titlist Roberta Vinci 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

The 22nd-ranked 30-year-old Petrova will appear in her 22nd career final, seeking an 11th title and her first championship since last year. She will meet the world No. 64 Radwanska for the first time on Saturday.

The qualifier Radwanska received a walkover into the final when Clijsters pulled out. The 21-year-old Pole, the younger sister of current world No. 3 star Agnieszka Radwanska, will appear in her first-ever WTA final.

Clijsters apparently was hurt during her quarterfinal match against Francesca Schiavone on Thursday.

"We went to the hospital in 's-Hertogenbosch, where an irregular fiber structure has been established," said trainer Sam Verslegers in a statement on Friday. "In view of Wimbledon we have made a safe decision."

Clijsters is headed to Wimbledon next week and has drawn Jelena Jankovic in her first-round match at the All England Club.

"Some days of rest will encourage much, perhaps even full recovery," added Verslegers. "I think she will be able to go at full force in a few days."

The four-time Grand Slam champion was playing her first tournament since a third-round exit at the Sony Ericsson Open in March. She skipped the European clay-court season, including the French Open, to prepare for the grass-court campaign that includes Wimbledon and the Olympics.

Clijsters has said the 2012 season will be her last, as she intends to retire after the U.S. Open later this summer.

The 29-year-old Belgian wife and mother captured this Dutch event in 2003 and was the Den Bosch runner-up in 2001.